Fuel and the manufacture thereof



Passed Feb. 1933 1,899,811

UNITED STA ES PATENT- OFFICE IUDW'IG KERN, OF WEBSTER GROVES, MISSOURI FUEL .A-ND THE MANUFACTURE THEREOF v No Drawing. 7 Application filed i'une 18,1930. Serial No. 462,130.

This invention relates to fuels and with reof a similar nature. The process referred to gard to certain more specific features, to liqis set forth hereinafter:

. uid fuels of low specific gravity.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the rovision of fuel such as a fuel oil, the calor' c value of which has been enhanced by the addition of porous, light carbonaceous particles in substantially permanent suspension; a fuel vof the class de- 10 scribed which is economically prepared;-the provision of a process for manufacturing from carbonaceous materials a porous, vo-- luminous powder which will remain in suspension-in'liquids such as oil for lengthy peof the plastic mass is avoided so far as practi;

riods of time; a process of the class described which additionallyprovides for the removal of sulphur and the like from the carbonaceous material in the course of its preparation into said voluminous powder; and a process of the class described which is easily and economically carried through with a minimum of costly treatin materials. Other objects will be in part 0 vious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the 1 elements and combinations of elements, steps and sequence of steps and features of synthesis which will be exemplified .in thedescription hereinafter and the scope of the ap-.

o plication of which will be indicated in the following claims.

The present invention is concerned with the production of a liquid fuel of higher calorific value than heretofore had. This additional calorific value is secured by suspending within the fuel oil a carbonaceous solid material, light in specific gravity and in a I state of subdivision such that it will remain in substantially permanent suspension witho in the liquid oil. Ordinary pulverized bituminous or carbonaceous materials are too heavy, and settle out of suspension in a) short time, thereby rendering such materials ineffective for the present purposes. I have found, however, a method for forming a highly porous, low specific gravity, voluminous carbon powder from distillable carbonaceous materials such as bituminous coal, sub-bituminous coal, semi-bituminous coal, anthraclte, lignite, calm, and other materials order to form said material into a loose but plastic, cohesive mass. This is accomplished by the mixing of the pulverized ash-forming constituents and water, to form abinder material for the carbon constituents. Pressing cable. p

' The wet, plastic mass is next conveyed into a retort, and rapidly brought to a temperature of the order of 550 C. or lower, at which temperature the water anduvolatiles in the carbonaceous material are vaporized with almost explosive violence, and thematerial is inflate-d to form a highly porous, voluminous mass. The products of distillation are recovered and condensed by methods customary to the art. It,is desirable to leave at least a part of the volatiles in the carbonaceous material, to aid in effecting a suspension in oil as hereinafter described. I

After the. distillation is complete, the devolatiliz'ed mass is allowed to cool, preferably with exclusion of air to prevent combustion. The cooled mass is not spontaneously combustible, however, and. may be handled in air without danger.

The cooled product is then subjected to a grinding to reduce it to a fineness of the order of 200 mesh. -The finest particles are preferably separated by air flotation. The porous, highly voluminous product is then packaged for use in a customary manner.

In the case of carbonaceous materials which have a high sulphur content, it is desirable that dilute aqueous hydrochloric acid solutions (from 2 to 5 B.) or chloride solutions, preferably magnesium chloride .solutions (from 2 to 5 B.) be used in place of water in the plasticizing operation. In this case the chloride, or the hydrogen evolved by reactions of the chlorides withjthe water presoil.

ent under the catalytic influence of the ashforming' constituents, or the hydrogen obtained by decomposition of the hydrochloric acid, unite with the sulphur and are vaporized with the other volatiles as hydrogen sulphide or sulphur chlorides or the like. Sulphur is thus removed and the voluminous powder is substantiallysulphur-free.

The voluminous carbon powder obtained has a specific gravity ranging from 0.30 to fuel over that of the fuel oil alone. .The'

smallness of carbon particle size further permits the oil to be sprayed as is customary in fuel oil burners, and to burn rapidly and completely.

In view of the foregoing, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are tained. Y I

As many changes could be made in carrying out the above objects without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description shall be interpreted as illustrative andnot in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. The liquid fuel com rising a fuel oil of specificgravity from 0. 0 to 0.90, said 01l having in suspension therein a carbon powder of a fineness greater than the order 200 mesh and a gravity of the order of from 0.30 to 0.50. v

2. The process of preparing a liquid fuel which comprises forming a porous, light carbon powder in the following manner: comminuting carbonaceous distillable material, placticizing said comminuted materialv with water, and rapidly heating said plastic material to a carbonization temperature, whereby said material is inflated, cooling said inflated material and pulverizing the same; and mixing said carbon powder with fuel oil whereby a substantially permanentsuspension is obtained.

3. The method of manufacturing a porous, voluminous carbon powder which comprises pulverizing coal to a fineness of the order of 200 mesh, thereby mechanically detaching the ash-forming constituents from the carbonaceous constituents of said coal, plasticizing said ash-forming constituents with water whereby said coal mass is rendered plas" tic, heating said plastic mass rapidly to a achieved .and other advantageous results attemperature of the order of 550 (1., whereby volatile constituents of said coal and said water are rapidly evolved and said plastic material is inflated, cooling said inflated material and grinding the same.

/ 4. The method of manufacturing a porous, voluminous carbon powder which comprises pulverizing coal to a fineness of the order of 200 mesh, thereby mechanically detaching the ash-forming constituents from the carbonaceous constltuents of sald coal, plasticlzlng said ash-forming constituents with acids whereby said coal mass is rendered plastic, heating said plastic mass rapidl to a temperature of the order of 550 5., whereby volatile constituents of said coal and said water are rapidly evolved and said are volatilized, cooling the inflated material and grinding the same,

5. The method of manufacturing a porous, voluminous carbon powder which comprises pulverizing coal to a fineness of the orderof 200 mesh, thereby mechanically detaching the ash-forming constituents from the carbonaceous constituents of said coal, plasticizing said ash-forming constituents with chlolast-icmaterial is inflated and sulphur constituents;

ride solutions whereby said coal mass is rendered plastic, heating said plastic mass rapidly to a temperature of the order of 550 0., whereby volatile constituents of said coal and said water are rapidly evolved andsaid plastic material is inflated and sulphur constituents are volatilized, cooling the inflated material and grinding the same. 4

6. The process of preparing a liquid fuel which comprises forming a porous, light carbon powder in the following manner:

comminuting carbonaceous distillable mate- 'rial, plasticizing said comminuted material,

and rapidly heating said plastic material to a carbonization temperature, whereby said material is inflated, cooling said inflated material and pulverizing the same; and mixing said carbon powder with fuel oil whereby a substantially permanent suspension is ab 1 tained.

' In testimony whereof, I have signed 'my name to this specification this 13th day of J une, 1930.

U l. LUDWIG E 

